Tag Archives: Resorts World Casino New York City

As Army Reserve Captain Boyd “The Rainmaker” Melson walked toward the ring, there was probably only one thing on his mind.

The middleweight pro boxer was laser-focused on his impending match against Yolexcy Leiva at Resorts World Casino New York City.

During the first five rounds of the Brooklyn-born, West Point graduate’s bout against Leiva, Melson meticulously calculated every punch. Somewhere in the third round, he delivered a right to Leiva that seemed to stun the Cuban-born boxer.

Then, the sixth bell rang and the final round started: Melson looked like a new man. He danced around the ring, followed through on his punches and began to take over.

Now boasting a pro record of 10-1 since 2010, Melson wasn’t just fighting for money, or to add on his record. Melson donates all of his winnings to justadollarplease.org. The charity raises money for stem cell research through umbilical cords to benefit wheelchair bound people who have suffered serious spinal cord injuries.

Melson also made clear that this was not a charity he “just jumped on,” but instead something extremely near and dear to his heart. Melson’s friend Christan Zaccagnino became paralyzed as a young girl following a diving accident. The pair met when he was still a cadet at West Point and since then Melson has donated a great deal of his time to helping find a cure for Zaccagnino.

His charitable efforts brought him to Dr. Wise Young, a researcher at Rutgers University who has been working on stem cell research in umbilical cords for years.

Tied to these efforts are veterans, who hold a special place in the heart of the still-ranking officer.

“You become a prisoner in your body,” he said, referring to soldiers who have returned home due to spinal cord injuries suffered in combat. “You just start watching people leave you because you’re a burden to them.”

Based out of Fort Totten, Melson juggles his duties as a reserve officer along with working at Johnson & Johnson and training as a professional boxer. In essence, it’s time management, the 5’10” middleweight says, and credits his boss, David McEntire, for being understanding.

In order to keep himself fit, Melson said he will normally pack his training clothes with him, run during his lunch break and get back to work. He’ll then sleep on the train ride home before going to work out and spar.

Before enrolling in West Point, Melson had no experience with the sweet science, he said.

Dr. Ray Barone, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, has taught boxing courses — required for male cadets — at West Point since 1999. It was in one of the required boxing classes that he saw potential in Melson.

“I saw him in class and said you might want to go out for the West Point boxing team,” Barone said. “When I saw him in class, he obviously had talent and picked up quick.”

Barone went on to say that Melson developed a dedication to the sport, which he developed rapidly since he trained any time possible.

“He was a quick learner, a quick study,” Barone said. “When you weren’t working with him he was working on his own.”

Melson said his inspiration to move forward with boxing though, was the personal standards a fighter has to hold him or herself to.

“The idea of relying on yourself, the idea that you’re competing in boxing…I think in one-on-one competition you have a chance to compete with yourself much more frequently than almost any other sport,” said Melson, who is admittedly his own harshest critic. “Even though it’s against other opponents, you’re always trying to see how much better you can do for yourself.”

But what Melson says is one of the driving forces to his fighting is what he’s really fighting for: raising money and awareness to help those in need.

“I think about, when I’m getting ready to walk down the aisle to the ring, ‘I have to win for this trial to happen, I have to win for this trial to happen,’” he said. “I know the more successful I get, the more exposure you get towards [this cause].”

Wednesday: Partly cloudy in the morning, then clear. High of 79. Winds from the SW at 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday night: Partly cloudy in the evening, then clear. Low of 66. Winds less than 5 mph.

EVENT OF THE DAY: Showcase Wednesday

Come to Resorts World Casino New York City to watch Crossing Midnight. The first time they were on the Resorts World Casino Bar 360 Stage, they rocked the house. This time around, this soulful group will definitely be a force to be reckoned with. Click here for more info or to submit an event of your own

Police officers packed a Queens courtroom this morning to watch the arraignment of an accused trigger-happy cop shooter. Read more: New York Post

Rockaways residents glad to see sand moved from ‘fornication hill’ to Beach 90th Street

You could say one person’s nuisance is another person’s newly refined beach — at least in the Rockaways. Huge dump trucks started have moved 7,000 cubic yards of sand from Beach 121st Street to Beach 90th Street. Read more: CBS New York

A Hooters in Queens is sued for racial discrimination

Hooters, the restaurant chain widely known for the skimpy outfits of its waitresses, has built its reputation in part on its fun-loving and mildly provocative spirit. But a Korean-American customer has accused a Hooters restaurant in Queens of taking that carefree ethos too far and has sued the company for racial discrimination. Read more: New York Times

Two GOP primaries for the state Senate — including a hotly contested race in Queens — have sunk into the gutter with gay-baiting tactics.Read more: New York Daily News

U.S. ambassador to Libya killed in Benghazi attack

The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff were killed in a rocket attack on their car, a Libyan official said, as they were rushed from a consular building stormed by militants denouncing a U.S.-made film insulting the Prophet Mohammad. Read more: Reuters

5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., The Noguchi Museum continues its summer practice of extending hours and offering free admission on the first Friday of the month. Visitors can explore the galleries and enjoy a cash bar in the outdoor sculpture garden. This Friday will feature Center of Attention, an extended conversation around a single work in the collection at 6 pm, followed at 7 pm by the film My Playground, a documentary about movement, tricking, freerunning, and parkour –a sport in which participants go from one city to another as quickly and efficiently as possible.

6 p.m. – 9 p.m., This exhibit/live occurrence mixes artworks at the Flux Factory gallery and actions in public spaces and institutions throughout New York City, including re-enactments of protests staged by artists groups since the 1930s through the present; a mobile pacifist library making the rounds at NYC libraries; recommended reading lists curated by incarcerated New Yorkers; physical audits of the dirt inside banks; and a pamphlet using the Hayden Planetarium Sphere to describe the space junk in Earth’s orbit. The exhibition intends to get audiences to experience something unexpected at a familiar cultural cornerstone and explore and/or interrogate the assumptions that institutions make about their relevance to daily life. Public Trust is on display/in action from Sept. 7 to Sept. 30.

Saturday, September 8

12 p.m. – 5 p.m., This first-ever LIC Block Party will feature artist-led activity tents, a stage with live music, interactive performances and a community-built, large-scale temporary sculpture. Guests will also find the Artist Market with a selection of the best affordable and functional art and objects and a family-friendly food court with goodies from local restaurants. Activity tents include Tarot readings, pom-pom making, Cubist face painting, carnival games, “discover your inner child,” balloon activities, ask a lawyer, neighborhood walks, wondrous disguises and costumes

10 a.m. – 6 p.m., The Richmond Hill Block Association will be hosting its 39th Annual Park Fair on at the Buddy Monument in Forest Park. There will be food, crafts, live entertainment, raffles for prizes, a pet adoption event and much more.

11 a.m. – 4 p.m., At the 32nd Annual Antique Motorcycle Show check out motorcycles that have been out of production for years. Music, farmhouse tours, hayrides and food provide fun for the entire family. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks, 718.347.3276, www.queensfarmmuseum.org.

1 p.m. – 5 p.m., During the Civil War in 1862, Flushing Town Hall‘s cornerstone was laid and a time capsule was created. FTH will exhibit the capsule’s historic items, such a coins and a copy of The New York Times, as well as historic Flushing photographs, postcards, and clothing from the Victorian age. Archivist Angelo Vigorito will give a lecture on FTH’s history at 1 p.m. and a family workshop will include decorative fans and dance cards from the Civil War ballroom from 1 pm to 5 pm. Suggested admission: $5 (free for members).

3 p.m., Papo Ortega’s CubanoSon mixes the music genres of Punto Cubano and Son Montuño. The group combines traditional Cuban music with New York City-style Salsa. Free.

3 p.m., A trained classical guitarist and composer from Northern California, Gyan Riley performs classical and electric guitar throughout New York City and Europe. Free.

4 p.m. – 7 p.m, Queens Fashion Week concludes with the Queens Fashion Week Gala Runway Presentation. In addition to a runway show, it also features a trunk show, vibrant entertainment and a designer meet and greet. All attendees will receive a special Queens Fashion Week Gift Bag at the event.

Wednesday: Clear. High of 82. Winds from the West at 10 to 15 mph shifting to the NNW in the afternoon.Wednesday night: Partly cloudy in the evening, then clear. Low of 64. Winds from the NW at 5 to 10 mph

EVENT of the DAY: Michael Jackson Birthday Bash

“Do you Remember the Time” when you first saw the King of Pop’s slick moves literally glide across the dance floor? Do you remember singing the lyrics to “Billie Jean” at the top of your lungs? Or maybe, you laid in bed at night visualizing all the moves in the “Thriller” video. Either way, the music lives. On August 29, it is officially Michael Jackson Day at Resorts World Casino New York City. With MJX, the premier MJ Impersonator, and DJ Spinna on the ones and twos, it will be a night to remember.Click here for more info or to submit an event of your own

Dumping stops in Queens neighborhood

The work to restore this stretch of land along the Van Wyck Expressway is finally underway. It’s a welcoming sight for residents near 116th Avenue who remember what the area used to look like. Read more: NY1

Chain ladder breaks as kin flee fire

A Queens family desperately trying to escape a raging fire tearing through their home tried to use a chain-link ladder to escape — but it suddenly broke, forcing the five people to jump two stories Read more: New York Post

Suspect charged with killing homeless man in Woodside

Police have arrested and charged Ramiro Martinez with the stabbing death of Enrique Morales Martinez on a street corner in Woodside, Queens on Sunday afternoon. Read more: NY1

CUNY considers constructing a Queens hotel

The City University of New York has retained Cushman & Wakefield Inc. to help the school determine if it should proceed with a plan to build a hotel in Long Island City, Queens, in order to expand its hospitality program. Read more: Crain’s New York

Isaac makes second landfall, levee overtopped in Plaquemines Parish

The center of Hurricane Isaac made a second landfall over Port Fourchon, La., early Wednesday, overtopping a levee southeast of New Orleans, knocking down trees and cutting power to more than 400,000 homes. Read more: ABC News

Republican convention is in full-throated roar

The Republican National Convention is finally in full-throated roar, cheering presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s name at every turn in a long-sought show of unity and mocking the man he is out to defeat in November. Read more: AP

Venus Williams an easy winner in return to the U.S. Open, beats fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 6-3, 6-1

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, the American wearing a black cap over blue hair, blitzed compatriot Venus Williams early in their first-round match Tuesday, taking the first two games of the opening set. Read more: New York Daily News

New York’s first casino had its first robbery less than a year after its opening.

The robber entered Resorts World Casino New York City at about 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 29 and approached a teller at the gate, police said. He passed the teller a note and simulated a weapon in his waistband.

The teller handed over an unknown amount of cash to the unidentified perp before he fled through the front door, said cops.

The suspect is described as 30 years old, 5’8” tall, last seen wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers.

A Resorts World spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment as of press time, but State Senator Joseph Addabbo released a statement on Monday, July 2 saying some security procedures should be changed at the facility.

“While I am thankful that nobody was injured during last week’s robbery, and that such incidents normally don’t occur at Resorts World,” he said, “I do have serious concerns regarding the procedures that are in place which would allow an individual to take a bag of money from the cashier window, down to street level, out of the casino, across the parking lot, and escape to the street.

“I am interested in the possible changes in the method of notifying the police in a timely manner and the practice of monitoring a situation in progress. I will continue to advocate for the hiring of additional security personnel on the premises of the casino in an effort to create jobs and supplement the safety of the patrons there.”

The timbre of Dizzy Gillespie’s trumpet and the vibrato of Ella Fitzgerald’s voice come alive this month as the spirited style of Jazz music and culture ignites at Resorts World Casino New York City in celebration of Black History Month.

The brand new entertainment complex plans to celebrate Black History Month by featuring an exhibit of famous Jazz musicians who have roots in Queens. Hosted in Resorts World’s Times Square Casino Atrium, the display is set to run through Saturday, March 3.

“Our Queens community is well known for its impact on jazz music and culture. We are proud to join in that tradition and provide an exciting and unique experience for guests,” said Michael Speller, president of Resorts World. “We have embraced the diversity of this community, with 91 percent of our employees being people of color or women.”

Attendees can stroll through the demonstration, decorated with portraits of Jazz legends, such as Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday, each of whom contributed to the rich cultural diversity of Queens.

Alongside these images, visitors can trace the Queens Jazz trail using the illustrated timeline.

Guests can also admire works of contemporary art, created by several of the city’s most prominent African American artists, including Frank Frazier, Brent Bailer, Willie Torbert and Sir Shadow.

This event is a combined effort between Resorts World and several local organizations, including the Council for Airport Opportunity (CAO), the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL), the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC), York College, Flushing Town Hall and the Flushing Council on Culture and Arts.

It won’t be just Giants and Patriots fans hitting the bars to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 5 — more than 110 million people watched last year’s game. Bars and restaurants throughout Queens feature food and drink specials for Giants fans and anyone else that wants to take in the Super Bowl 42 rematch. Here are a few places to watch the game in Queens:

Bourbon Street, Bayside:

For $45 per person, enjoy a hot and cold buffet, unlimited mixed drinks, bottled and tap beer, wine and soda during the game. Giveaways during the game will include a flat screen television, golf bags, beer coolers and bicycles. Reservations and deposit required.

Bohemian Beer Garden, Astoria:

“The Biggest Tailgating Party in Astoria,” offers free admission, free hot dogs, wing specials and $10 pitchers of Staropramen and Pilsner Urquell and the game is played on a 200-inch high-definition screen.

Studio Square, Astoria:

Watch the game on multiple 60+ inch flat screens while enjoying unlimited beer, wine, sangria, loaded lemonade and red stag iced tea for $50 ($60 at door). There is also a private loft party — $75 ($85 at door) — which includes a top shelf open bar and premium Studio Square catering.

Z Hotel, Long Island City:

The Z Hotel features numerous options for revelers. For $55 fans can enjoy a four hour top shelf open bar and tailgate buffet. Ten dollars more will feature a private VIP buffet. The game will be displayed on multiple flat screen televisions and the party will feature halftime raffles.

Safari Beach Club, Bayside

Safari Beach Club on Bell Boulevard in Bayside is your Giants headquarters. Watch the big game on over 25 large, flat-screen TVs. Halftime giveaways and unlimited food and drinks for $50

Austin’s Ale House, Kew Gardens:

Root for the Giants with unlimited bottle beer and top shelf cocktails and a halftime buffet for $50. Halftime will also feature raffles and giveaways. Deposit required.

Strawberry’s Sports Grill, Douglaston:

The Big Game will be played on 16 high-definition televisions. For $50, drink unlimited draft beer and enjoy all you can eat wings. Fans will also receive free “Big Blue Shots” for wearing Giants gear and whenever the team scores. For $75, fans will get a top shelf open bar, family style dinner and guarantee seating.

The Racino’s Big Game Tailgate Party in Bar 360 will play the game on the bar’s 16×28 foot high definition television. The party begins at 5 p.m. and features $2 Domestic Drafts, $2 Hot Dogs, $2 Cup of Chili and $5 for 10 Hot Wings. Genting Reward members can enjoy the Big Game Free Play from 8 a.m. until midnight on Sunday, February 5 — receive between $7 and $107 of free play.